Experience

Hironori Nishikino is a partner at Chuo Sogo Law Office, P.C. (Chuo Sogo LPC) based in Tokyo, specializing in Insurance & Reinsurance and related financial regulatory matters. His professional experience includes providing legal advice and issuing written opinions on financial laws and regulations, including the Insurance Business Act, the Banking Act, the Financial Instruments and the Exchange Act, and the Money Lending Business Act. Nishikino also advises financial institutions such as insurance companies and banks on compliance matters, and handles legal disputes involving financial products and insurance products, including lawsuits, arbitrations, and financial ADR procedures. In addition to dispute work, Nishikino has experience with asset securitizations for real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and bankruptcy-related matters, supporting corporate restructuring and related transactions. Career history highlights include on-loan assignments to the Insurance Business Division of the Supervisory Bureau of the Financial Services Agency (FSA) in Japan from 2005 to 2007. Nishikino has participated in a range of policy-oriented roles, including membership in the Working Group on the Provision of Insurance Products and Services within the Financial System Council (FSA) (2012–2013), the Task Force for Making Documents for the Solicitation and Explanation of Insurance Policies More Consumer-Friendly (General Insurance Association of Japan, 2012–2013), and study groups organized by the MLIT and PwC Research Institute focused on risk assessment and housing warranty systems (2012–2019). He has also contributed to advisory councils and housing-related studies related to consumer protections and warranty schemes. Notable roles include serving as an auditor for the Independent Insurance Agents of Japan, Inc. since April 2025, and holding a directorship as Director of Insurance Lawyer Forum at the Kinzai Institute for Financial Affairs, Inc. since August 2024. Nishikino’s professional career also includes his long-standing role at Chuo Sogo, involvement in public-private partnerships and housing warranty initiatives, and engagement with various professional associations in the insurance and financial services sectors.

Specialty

Practice areas include Insurance Law, Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law and Securities, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Litigation/ADR. The firm’s Insurance Law practice emphasizes regulatory advice and opinions on insurance laws and regulations, as well as corporate activities involving insurance companies, such as incorporations, mergers, liquidations, and acquisitions, alongside disputes involving insurance products and related ADR proceedings. In Banking and Finance Law, Nishikino advises on matters related to banking regulation, securities, derivatives, and debt collection, with experience supporting financial institutions on compliance and regulatory risk management. The Corporate Law and Securities practice covers corporate governance, general corporate matters, and capital markets-related work, including due diligence and transactional support for mergers and restructurings. The Finance practice area highlights securitization projects, real estate investment trusts (REITs), asset-based lending (ABL), and project finance. The Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Reorganization practice includes strategy development, due diligence, negotiations, and de-merger support, including cross-border considerations. The Litigation/ADR practice provides experience in domestic and cross-border disputes, arbitration, and ADR, with involvement in complex civil and financial disputes. International Business Transactions covers cross-border matters, international litigation and arbitration, and cross-border joint ventures. These practice areas are supported by the firm’s broader capabilities in international work, cross-border disputes, and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Nishikino’s focus industries include the insurance sector and financial services, with additional engagement in real estate, housing-related programs, and complex corporate and financial matters. His case experience spans incorporation and corporate restructurings for insurance entities, disputes involving financial and insurance products, asset securitization projects, and large-scale corporate transactions, often involving regulatory compliance, governance, and financial services ADR. The firm’s Insurance Law practice specifically notes experience with insurance company activity from a regulatory and corporate perspective, including advisory matters related to the Insurance Business Act and related financial regulations.

Education

Kyoto University, Faculty of Law Legal training: Completed the requisite courses at the Supreme Court’s Legal Research and Training Institute (51st Class)

Achievements and Recognition

Chambers Asia-Pacific recognitions for Hironori Nishikino across multiple years in Insurance & Reinsurance; source: https://www.clo.jp/english/lawyers/34/
Best Lawyers in Japan recognition including Lawyer of the Year in Insurance Law, Tokyo (2026) and listings in 2023; 2024–2026; source: https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/hironori-nishikino/252323
Legal 500 Country Comparative Guides 2025 (Japan) Insurance & Reinsurance — co-author; source: https://www.clo.jp/english/column/1095/
Chambers Global Practice Guides 2025 Japan: Insurance & Reinsurance — Law and Practice (co-author); source: https://www.clo.jp/english/column/1013/
Best’s Recommended Insurance Attorneys 2024 (Japan) — listed for Hironori Nishikino; source: https://claimsresource.ambest.com

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